Spy Photos: 2014 Ducati 1199 Panigale RS

All carbon fiber on the entry model?

Spy photographers have captured these images of a carbon-fiber-clad Ducati 1199 Panigale. Most interesting this about it? It appears to be based on the most affordable
version of the bike, which goes for just $17,995.

The front suspension is the giveaway: Where the $22,995 Panigale S, $27,995 Tricolore, and $29,995 Panigale R models are all equipped with top-of-the-line NIX30 forks by Öhlins, the bike
seen here is fitted with the cheaper, but still fully-adjustable, Marzocchi items. This seems to suggest that this new bike will sit between the base model
and the S, in terms of price.

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Carbon-fiber bodywork is used elsewhere in the Panigale lineup, including the $177,000 track-only RS13 factory race bike. That model forms the basis of Ducati's SBK
factory race bike and is campaigned by privateer teams in other superbike racing series.

Like the RS13, this streetgoing RS retains the Panigale's aluminum tank. Expect the final-production model to ditch the paint for bare metal and subtle, silver, "Ducati Corse" graphics on the carbon-fiber fairings. It's unlikely those fairings will save a considerable amount of weight. That's no
problem, at 414.5 pounds (wet), the Panigale is already the lightest superbike available and, with 195 hp, the second most powerful.